The Invisible Cage
by Swordtheguy
Summary: The Zoo is home, for as long as any of them could remember. It is Their Land, and it here that they are guided by the Voices and protected by the Guardians and Elder. Such is life, as it had been for a long, long time and such as it would be for even longer. Until suddenly that's not true anymore. The cage has been opened and now, everything beyond is threatening Their Land...
1. A Peek Outside

You're guided by X-9 down the path, leading away from the Choosening circle. You feel upset. When you had still lived with the Guardians you had heard about the Choosening and you had been excited to finally see what it _was_ exactly.

But before it began, X-9 grabbed you by the hand and hurried you away. "You are too young," had been her explanation. So instead, you were going to spend the Choosening with the others who were too young, like B-3 and A-my, as well as those who were too old, like G-15 and B-11.

And Elder.

You scrunch your face and crinkle your nose at the clearing that is normally used as the art spot comes into view. You can still see the stacks of bark that are used to draw on, not to mention the few instruments that J-14 and To-ny have used to play songs on. But all of those have been pushed to the edge of the clearing. Now, everyone who isn't at the Choosening is gathered in the center of the clearing, all sitting around Elder, who smiles and waves as you and X-9 enter the clearing.

"Go on," X-9 instructs, giving you a gentle push forward. "Elder will watch over you until the Choosening is over."

You look up at X-9. You can tell she's eager to get back to the Choosening. You resist the urge to tell her that she could be at the Choosening _now_ if you could have stayed. But you don't. Instead you just nod numbly and begin to walk to the center of the clearing.

You wish, not for the first time, that you still lived with the Guardians. They were nice and helped you do almost anything you wanted. Elder seems to have many rules, most of them involving more work. When you lived with the Guardians, they took care of _everything_ , and there was no work at all.

You quietly take a seat next to G-15, trying your best not to be intimated by Elder's size. Even sitting, they are bigger than everybody else.

Elder nods at you, before beginning to speak, "Well. Now that everyone's here, we can begin."

"What story are you going to tell us, Elder?" A-my asks eagerly.

Elder taps their chin, their eyes scanning over the gathered crowd, before resting on you. You shift uncomfortably on your butt. Even though Elder looks their normal, calm self, their heavy gaze still makes you feel uncomfortable.

Elder tilts their head slightly at you before asking simply, "What story would you like to hear, Sar-ah?"

You jump in your seat at the question. "Uh-uh…" You wish Elder hadn't called on you. Why couldn't they have chosen anyone else? "Um… I don't know..," You mutter as you look at your lap and hope desperately that Elder will move on to someone else.

Elder smiles and chuckles a little at your reaction. "You truly have nothing you want to hear a story about?"

You vigorously shake your head. "No, nothing!"

A-my shakes her head at you. "Oh Sar-ah. Don't tell me you're _still_ missing the Guardians."

You grimace at the ground and clamp your eyes shut. You can feel the embarrassment surging through you. "I'm sorry…" you mutter through clenched teeth.

You feel your shoulders shake as you hold back the sadness. No one likes it when you're sad, or when _anyone_ is sad. And you already know that no one likes you, so you can't start crying now because if you do then everyone will hate you even more.

As your eyes start to sting and your cheeks start to get wet, you feel someone touch you. You open your eyes and rub them dry as best you can. You look up and see Elder is now kneeling next to you, their large hand resting on your shoulder. They are smiling at you easily as they wait for you to gather yourself.

"Feeling better?" Elder asked gently.

You nod your head, which is lying, which means you're doing something _else_ you know you're not suppose to. "Thank you, Elder…"

Elder's smile widens as they carefully sat down next to you, everyone else readjusting where they were sitting in order to be around Elder. And now you. You don't like this change, as it now feels like everyone is focusing on you.

But Elder seems to sense your unease and moves their hand to your other shoulder, letting you rest against their strong arm.

"How about a story about the Guardians?" Elder asks you.

You sniffle. "The Guardians? There are stories about them?"

"Oh, yes," Elder nods. "The Guardians have watched over you before even _I_ was born. They have been around for a long time."

You coo in amazement. You knew the Guardians were old, but older than Elder? That seems impossible. J-14 had told you that Elder is the oldest person ever.

"A long time ago, the Guardians were made on Earthland," says Elder.

"But I thought humans were made on Earthland," says A-my.

"We were," agrees Elders. They spread their arms wide. "That's where all humans come from originally. But some Gems were made on Earthland, and the Guardians were some of those Gems."

You lean in closer, eyes widening. You have already heard several stories about Earthland- fantastic stories, strange stories, about strange food that is not fruit, and funny shaped beings called animals, and a water so big you could not even see the other side, called the 'ocean'. This is the first time you have heard of Gems- Guardians- from Earthland. You will need to draw some pictures.

"The first of the humans were taken away from Earthland," says Elder.

"To here," you say.

"To home," says B-11.

Elder nods. "Some Gems were taken with them. This was because others did not like them."

"What? Why?!" you shout.

"Because they were the wrong color, or too small, or the wrong shape." Elder shakes their head, and even though they are smiling, you do not think they are happy. "This was not true. They were perfect, just the way they were. But it was good they came here, because it meant they could look after us. So they became Guardians."

"Wow…" you mouth in amazement.

"Elder is the only person to ever leave our Land and enter the Guardian's Land," G-15 says. "Elder is a Guardian. So they can enter the Guardian's Land whenever they want."

You eyes light up in amazement. "Is that true Elder? You're a Guardian?"

Elder chuckles happily at the question as their hand shifts on your shoulder, reminding you of its presence. Though now, you don't really mind it as much.

"Well, I'm not _quite_ a Guardian," Elder answers.

"But the Guardians visit you all the time," B-3 says.

"Again, I wouldn't say all the time," Elder corrects. "But yes. Sometimes the Guardians visit me."

"What do they say?" you ask eagerly. "What do you talk about?"

"The last time I talked to them, it was actually about you, B-3 and A-my coming to live with us."

"Really?" you ask.

Elder nods. "Yes. You three had grown old enough to be moved from the Guardian's care into our care."

"Oh," you respond, beginning to feel a little disappointed.

"You can't live with the Guardians forever," G-15 says. "The Guardian's Land is not for us."

You nod numbly, but G-15's words don't really do much to make you feel better. You wish you could. You miss the warm, soft rooms. You miss the Amethysts and Jaspers and Carnelian. You look back down at your hands in your lap, when you feel Elder drawing you closer to them. You look up and see their warm smile beaming down at you.

"It's hard leaving your home," Elder tells you softly. "But you're safe here and we all care for one another." They look up at the others. "Isn't that right?"

"Yes, we are happy here," G-15 says.

"Under the Guardian's and Elder's protection," B-11 adds.

"So you do not need to worry," Elder says easily. "We're all one family, Sa-rah. We love and support each other as best we can, understand?"

You nod again, slowly, but more earnestly now. "Yes. Thank you, Elder."

Elder is never wrong. That's what X-9 told you when you moved in with the grownups. You hadn't been too sure at first, but now, with Elder's bright eyes and kind smile beaming on you, you are beginning to think she is right.

* * *

Your day continues as normal. After storytime with the Elder, the Voices tell everyone it's eating time. Today's food is purple. Purple is good, but not as good as red. You eat as much as you can, leaving you feeling full and content.

After eating time, it is bathing time. It takes more than a little convincing from Elder to get you into the water. But once you are, the water feels cool and refreshing against your skin.

As you float in the water and wait for the Voices to tell you bathing time was over, you notice that all the grownups that were at the Choosening acting very silly. They're all hugging and hanging off each other, whispering things in each others ears and giggling afterwards.

You grimace at the display. You can't wait until _you_ get to be in a Choosening…

And finally, after that, it is time for sleeping. The Voices instruct everyone to the sleeping area, with its soft grass. It gets darker as the Voices say 'Good-night' and you lay your head down on the ground. You have been having trouble sleeping here, away from your soft bed and the Guardians, and you think you will have trouble again. But the Voice in your ear is soothing, and as soon as you close your eyes, sleep comes easily and consciousness slips away from you.

But you wake up before the Voices tell you to. It feels weird. The Voices wake you gently and softly, but now you're awaken all at once and it feels _terrible_.

You sit up from your sleep spot underneath the tree. Everyone else is still asleep. Save for Elder, who was standing away from everyone else. Their back is to you and you wonder briefly if you should bother them now during sleep time.

But you do remember Elder telling you that you could come to them whenever you needed. So you get up from your sleep spot, still feeling a little tired and you walk over to Elder and lightly tug their long, braided hair.

They turned, looking a little startled and- Are those tears? Has Elder been _crying_?

"Elder!" you cry out, unable to contain the volume of your voice. "Why are you crying?"

Elder looks down at you, rubbing their eyes before smiling gently. "Ah, Sar-ah. Have the Voices called for awakening?"

You shake your head. "Elder, why are you crying?" you repeat.

Before Elder can say anything, another voice calls out. "Elder. What is happening?"

You turn and see that everyone else has begun to wake up now. X-9 and J-14 are walking over to you, their confused expression matching how you're feeling. Behind them you could also see T-3 and Rob-ert coming over next, followed by G-15 and B-11 and To-ny.

Soon, all have gathered around the Elder, you in the very front wishing that you could move further back. It feels very crowded and hot standing so close to everyone.

"Elder!" X-9 exclaims. "What is happening? Why are we awake before the Voices?" There is a wave of similar questions murmured throughout the gathering. However, Elder just easily raising their hands above all your heads, and everyone goes quiet.

"It's alright, everyone." They speak in their comforting tone of voice, the kind you had heard earlier during story time. They lay a gentle hand on the top of your head. The weight is comforting and you're glad for it. "It seems I woke Sar-ah up."

"But why were _you_ awake, Elder?" Rob-ert asks. "The Voices haven't sounded to get us up."

Elder slowly shakes their head. "No. And they won't, I think."

"They won't? Why not?" G-15 asks.

"The Voices have stopped," Elder answers. "They are no longer here."

You step out from underneath Elders gentle grasp. You can't believe what Elder said. The Voices are... gone? That sends a terrible feeling rippling through you.

"Without the Voices, how will we know when it is eating time?" J-14 asks, her voice very uneven.

"Or sleep time!" X-9 adds.

"Or play time!"

"Or bathing time!"

Everyone but you is talking now and it feels overwhelming. It's too loud and too many people gathered around. You clutch at your ears, feeling the Voices in both of your hands, smooth and cool. You briefly wished Elder was wrong and that the Voices would tell you that it was now time to eat.

You'd been looking forward to that. Today is a red day, and red is your favorite food.

"Everyone, please. The Voices are gone, but I am still here."

That seems to calm everyone, yourself included. The Voices may be gone, but Elder is still here with you. And they will keep you and the others safe, as Elder has always done.

When the talking has died away completely, Elder speaks again, "Something incredible is going to happen." They smile and even from your low angle you can see Elder's eyes beginning to shimmer.

"What is it, Elder?" To-ny asks. "What is happening?"

"We're going to see Earthland."

You gasp in utter shock. Standing on the tips of toes so as to make sure Elder could hear, you ask, "I thought you said Earthland was far away!"

Elder looked directly at you, even bending down so you could see the large, kind smile they often wore. "I did say that," Elder says. "But it is happening. We're going to Earthland."

"But how, Elder?" X-9 asks. "We've never left our Land."

"I admit, I don't know for sure, X-9," Elder says. "But I do know that we need to prepare." They nod at all of them, before cupping their Voices in their hands. "First, we need to remove our Voices."

"Elder!" J-14 is actually yelling. Everyone around her flinches away at the loudness of her voice. "We can't remove our Voices!"

However, Elder just gently shakes their head again. "The Voices are gone. They will not talk to us anymore."

"But the Guardians will be upset with us!" B-11 responds.

"They won't," Elder responds calmly. "In fact, the Guardians _want_ us to remove our Voices."

You blink bewilderment. "They do? Did the Guardians visit you again, Elder?"

If the Guardians visited, you wonder why they did not come to say hello to you and the other children. You still miss them so, so much.

"In a sense," Elder responds. They pause as they grasp their Voices. Then there is a small clicking sound, and when they pull their hands away, their Voices are resting in their palms.

There is a deep uncomfortable silence as everyone stares at Elder's abandoned Voices.

"It's alright, everyone," Elder says. "Just remove your Voices. You can give them to me, and then we can start preparing for Earthland."

Slowly, only a couple at a time, people start to remove their Voices too and then hands them to Elder. You try to remove your own, but after struggling with it and pinching yourself in the process, Elder bends down onto their knees and helped you take them off, much to your embarrassment.

"Thank you, Elder," you say softly.

Elder doesn't say anything, only patting you on the head before getting back to their feet.

They look at all the Voices gathered in their large hand and then out at the crowd gathered around them and nods slowly. "Okay," Elder says, wrapping a fist around all the Voices. "We have work we need to do to prepare."

"What do we need to do, Elder?" Rob-ert asks earnestly.

"Well, Rob-ert," Elder says. "I want you to gather the artifacts and bring them to the Choosening circle. To-ny and X-9 can help you."

"Okay, Elder," Rob-ert nods.

"And everyone else, gather whatever else you think is important. Art, instruments, stories, anything you want to make sure comes to Earthland with us." Elder pauses for a moment before adding, "Also, if you see any food on the trees, gather it as well and bring it to the Choosening circle. Do you all understand?"

They all nod and Elder nods back at them.

But you feel uncertain, and you can see everyone else does too.

"Don't worry," Elder says. They smile broadly at them. "This is... a very frightening time. Everything is changing at once. But remember, trust each other and we will all get through this."

"Yes, Elder," J-14 says. There is an utterance of agreement with her, before they all began to break away into different direction to complete their tasks. You begin to walk away, trying to think of everything you want to bring to the Choosening circle. The pictures you've drawn for sure. And maybe the song you've written for J-14...

"Wait, Rob-ert." Elder catches Rob-ert's, To-ny's, and X-9's attention before they go too far. "I want to bring all the artifacts to the Choosening Circle, except one." Again they pause, considering. "I want to be the one to carry my sword."

You gasp audibly and all four of them instantly turned their attention on you. You feel your face redden as you sheepishly try to shuffle past a bush.

"Your sword, Elder?" To-ny asks. "But... the Guardians-"

The elder holds up one of their hands, stopping To-ny. "I don't know if I'll need it. But... just in case. Okay?"

The three of them nod in unison before they hurrying off to where the artifacts were kept.

You remain standing next next to the bush however, feeling as though your feet are rooted into the ground. According to the stories, Elder hasn't held their sword since before G-15 was born, and G-15 is the oldest among them, next to Elder. But if Elder wants their sword, that must mean that they think they'll need it.

But… they did say they weren't completely sure. So it'll probably be okay.

Probably.

Pressing your lips together, you scanned the ground and see a long stick. You pick it up and break off part of its end, making it perfect size to swing around. You promptly do so, striking a nearby tree, then a bush, before just swiping at the air.

You feel pretty good, until you realized that Elder was watching you, smiling silently at your display. You quickly drop your stick and scamper off before Elder can say anything.

It's only a short jog to the art spot. Almost everyone is there, looking around and gathering what they can or want to bring with them. You quickly scurry around the edge of the clearing and your tree. The one with the perfectly placed hole where you could slide all your drawings into. You reach in and remove the thick bundle of leaves and tree bark. You flip through them and make sure they're all there: your drawings and the all the parts to the song for J-14.

Once you are sure they are all there, you began making your way to the Choosening circle. However, you didn't go the way most everyone else did. Instead you began running through brush and ducking under low hanging branches. You've gone this way multiple times and you know it is faster than going along the path.

You smile to yourself as you clutch your art closer to your chest and feel very proud for your cleverness for remembering the path-

All of sudden there is a really loud noise.

It is the loudest thing you've ever heard. It shakes the ground. You almost drop your art as you hurried to cover your ears, but as soon as you do, the noise was gone.

You looked around. There didn't seem to be anyone else nearby. Without really thinking why (something Elder often said you shouldn't do) you began walking, and then running, in the direction you think the loud noise came from.

After only a few moments, you come upon the path, the part that ends at the Wall. And standing a ways away from the wall is Elder. They are staring at it very intently and very… scarily. In fact, you feel more than a little frightened by Elder. Their back is straight and they look even bigger than normal, and they have the sword in their hand.

There is another loud noise and you dash behind a bush, trying to remain hidden, but also wanting to see what's going on.

Another loud noise, but this time the Wall, the part Elder was looking at, _vanishes_ in a cloud of smoke and bright lights.

You blink the light away. As the smoke clears, you can begin to make out a figure. She's big, though not as big Elder. That makes you feel better. If Elder is bigger, that probably means they're stronger.

The person steps more out of the hole in the Wall and you can see that she looks rather strange. A square head and half their face is reflective like water. And she's colored weirdly. Purple, like food. Is this person made out of food?

But most odd was what comes next. The person takes one more step forward before Elder _drops_ their sword. Just... drops it. You have to resist the urge to rush over and pick it up. An artifact shouldn't just be left in the dirt like that.

This time Elder takes a step forward. Their expression was hard to read from here, but you could see their mouth is hanging open.

They are shaking.

Several moments of tense and almost uncomfortable silence surrounded them, before the strange person said, in a quiet, breathy whisper,

"Stevonnie..."


	2. A New Land

Stevonnie could feel their heart pounding in their chest. Their mouth was dry and their eyes had begun to sting. Using all their strength and willpower, they softly whispered, "Garnet…"

And then all at once they were rushing at her and had wrapped their arms as tightly as they could manage. Without even realizing it, they had lifted Garnet off her feet in a monster of a bear hug.

"Garnet!" they cried out in joy. "I-I can't believe I-" Their voice caught in their throat as the tears begin to flow freely down their cheeks. "I thought I'd never see you again… When I dreamed of Ruby and Sapphire, I thought it was just that, but…"

"Stevonnie." It was Garnet's voice, muffled as her face was pressed tightly against Stevonnie's chest.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Garnet." Stevonnie sat Garnet back on the ground, hesitating only a moment before letting her go completely and backing away.

Garnet adjusted her glasses as her gaze combed over every inch of them. "It really is you…" She slowly shook her head. "No, of course it's you. I touched your mind."

The connection had been completely unexpected by Stevonnie. But not unwelcomed. It had been like… returning home. And being greeted by a loving embrace.

"You did," Stevonnie breathed excitedly. "How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't," Garnet answered simply. "As we approached, I reached out for… whoever had your gem."

Stevonnie laid a hand on their stomach, able to feel their gem underneath the fabric of their tunic. "Ah, I see."

Garnet stepped towards them. It was now that Stevonnie really appreciated the height difference between them. All the memories that they had had them and Garnet at eye level. But now, they had more than a head's worth of height on her. It was more than a little odd.

"Stevonnie…" Garnet removed her shades, letting them drop to the ground and disappear in a burst of sparkles. All three of her eyes were focused on them. Stevonnie was about to speak, but the glisten of tears on the corners of her Garnet's eyes stopped them, instead beginning the tears in their own eyes.

"Stevonnie," Garnet repeated again as she brought her arms around their middle. "We thought that you and Connie- So much time had passed… You're still alive ."

Stevonnie laughed as they rested the side of the face against the top of Garnet's cubed afro. "What can I say, Garnet? Can't get rid of me that easily."

Garnet pulled away as if she had more to say, but she was cut off by the loud, sharp gasp coming from the bushes. Stevonnie turned and saw a young face, framed with dirty blonde hair looking at them.

A huge grin broke out across their face. "Sarah. It's alright. You can come here." The young girl jumped back, eyes wide and uncertain. Stevonnie beckoned towards them, "No, it's okay. Come here."

Hesitantly, Sarah moved from her place in the bushes and walked over to them, her eyes fixed intermittently between Stevonnie and the ground. Her feet were only shuffling, and at one point she tripped, though luckily Stevonnie was able to catch her.

"Thank you, Elder," she said quietly.

Stevonnie nodded at her, smiling as they brought Sarah in front of them, showing her proudly to Garnet.

"This Sarah, Garnet," Stevonnie introduced. "She's… she's Sadie's descendant. Well, and Lars'. And Jamie's too, I think. It's a little hard to keep track of nowadays."

Garnet nodded slowly. "Then you're…"

"It's been how many years, Garnet?" Stevonnie asked, their smile faltering just a little. "Of course… Of course, I'm all that's left…"

"Elder, who is this?" Sarah asked sharply. "I don't like her eyes, she's weird."

Stevonnie chuckled lightly. "Come now, Sarah. You know it's not nice to say such things about people. Especially to Garnet." Stevonnie looked down at her, resting oversized hands on her shoulders. "After all, she's a Crystal Gem."

Sarah gasped as she broke out of Stevonnie's hands, looking at them in astonishment. "Is that true?" She turned around and looked at Garnet. "Is it?"

Garnet smiled warmly at her as she bent down onto a knee. "I am. I have known Ste- Elder, for a very long time."

"Ooooooh~" Sarah cooed in wonder. "That's amazing. Elder always said that the Crystal Gems would return someday..."

Garnet's gaze flicked up to Stevonnie for a moment before returning to Sarah. "To be honest, I wasn't uncertain that we would even see each other again. But… the universe is full of surprises sometimes."

"That it is," Stevonnie agreed.

However, before anything else could be said, Stevonnie, Garnet and Sarah were thrown to the ground as the ground beneath them shook and rocked. In the distance came a muffled, but still loud explosion. As they got back to their feet, Stevonnie looked over at Garnet, noticing that her shades had returned to place.

"We have a situation outside," she said simply.

"So you all didn't take the infiltration route this time," Stevonnie said, helping Sarah back to her feet. "A more direct route?"

"Something like that," Garnet replied. "The Quartzes on this station are rebelling."

"They are?" Stevonnie asked, their eyes wide in wonder. "8XJ never told me that."

"It's a recent development," Garnet said. "Some… major changes are happening on Homeworld." Garnet must have seen the look of growing curiosity on Stevonnie's face, as she raised a hand to stem and questions. "There's no time. Right now, I need someone with a human body."

Stevonnie pounded a fist against their chest. "Well last I checked, I still had one of those. What needs to be done?"

"Soon after we landed in the docking bay, energy fields were activated, cutting off all access to it. I was able to get out before it did, but the others weren't so lucky."

Stevonnie nodded. "I assume this energy field is the 'poof if you touch it' kind?"

"It is," Garnet answered. "I was hoping to come here and… recruit one of the humans here to pass the field and get to the control console and deactivate the field…. And maybe hoping that they would know who I was."

"From the mind touch?" Stevonnie asked, shaking their head. "If that was plan then I don't think it would have worked, Garnet. The only reason I knew it, trusted it, was because it was so familiar. "

"Not quite," Garnet said. "I told you I was looking for whoever had Steven's gem. If I was able to find them, then I hoped that meant that… perhaps there were stories of us. And they would know that we could be trusted."

Garnet spoke slowly and carefully, as she were unsure what to say. Considering everything that was happening, Stevonnie couldn't really blame her. Even if it did sting a little that Garnet seemed to be keeping her distance a little, emotionally.

Stevonnie gritted their teeth. There'd be time for get reacquainted later. For now, they had more pressing concerns.

"Okay. I can do that," Stevonnie nodded. "It's shouldn't be too hard-"

The ground shook again and there was another distant explosion. This time no one fell, thankfully, but it caused Stevonnie to reconsider what their immediate action should be.

"I can't go yet. I need to go back to the clearing and tell everyone what's happening," Stevonnie said.

Garnet opened her mouth, and then closed, before finally speaking. "There's no time. They're safe here for now. But if we don't hurry, then the Agates are going to be able to mount a more effective defense. Maybe even call for reinforcements."

"I can't just leave them in the dark," Stevonnie shot back. "They're my people and this is their home. They deserve to know."

Garnet looked at them silently for a moment, before nodding and swiping her hand quickly in front of her face, causing her sunglasses to return in shower of sparkles. "I'll go. You take care of the energy field and I'll explain everything to the humans."

"Alright. Here." Stevonnie bent down and retrieved their sword from the ground. They pressed it into Garnet's hands. Garnet. "Take my sword. It'll show them that I sent you and that you can be trusted." Garnet took the blade slowly, an unspoken question clearly resting on her lips.

"Only someone that Elder has allowed can carry their sword!" Sarah helpfully pointed out.

Stevonnie patted her on top of her head. "Just so." They smiled simply. "I didn't get to decide all the stories," they said.

They were expecting something from Garnet after that comment. A chuckle and laugh, or even just a smile and knowing nod. But Garnet didn't laugh. She didn't smile. She just looked at them, her expression unreadable behind her reflective sunglasses.

Perhaps, Stevonnie thought, that it was the realization that their were legends about their sword that really drove home how much time had passed. They didn't know exactly how long it was, but they had a vague idea. While to a Gem, two hundred years was a relatively short amount of time, for a human it was more than two lifetimes. And that thought struck Stevonnie hard.

Two lifetimes since Steven, Connie, Lars, Sadie, Onion, and Jamie had been taken from Earth.

Two lifetimes since Steven had been judged not to be Rose Quartz and was thrown into the Zoo with the others.

Two lifetimes since they had seen Earth or their family or-

Stevonnie shook their head.

"Listen, Garnet, we-"

Garnet simply raised a hand, before placing it firmly on their shoulder. The feeling of her gem against their bare flesh felt oddly soothing. "There will be time to talk later. For now, we both have jobs to complete."

As if for emphasis, another explosion shook the station.

Stevonnie pursed their lips, before nodding determinedly. "Right." They looked down at little Sarah, who still stood at their feet. "You go with Garnet, little one," they said. "If any one of the more hard-headed members of our group give Garnet any trouble, you speak on my behalf, okay?"

Sarah said nothing, only looking down at the ground and shuffling her feet.

Stevonnie bent knelt down onto one knee, placing either hand on the young girl's arms. "Hey, I need you to be big and brave right now, Sarah," they said firmly. "I know things are scary now, but you must trust me. Garnet is a friend and she will keep you and the others safe. I promise."

Sarah nodded numbly, but otherwise remained silent.

"Come on, Sarah. The only way we'll get through this is by being brave and coming together. It's just like I always told everyone; 'We're all family here'."

However, Sarah just shook her head before burying her face in her hands. Stevonnie leaned in closer to offer comfort, but before they could, Sara looked up from her hands and cried, "No! Don't leave Elder!"

"Sarah," Stevonnie breathed, a little taken aback, though not really surprised by the girl's reaction. "I'm not leaving permanently. I'm going to be back."

"But you're Elder!" Sarah sharply countered. "You protect us! You're not suppose to leave ever !"

And dim explosion sounded in the distance, as if to highlight her argument. But Stevonnie merely smiled softly at her. "I'm leaving, yes. But it's to make sure the other Crystal Gems, and Guardians, are safe."

"Elder will be going ahead of us," Garnet suddenly spoke up in her perfectly even tone. "Once you and I get the others, I will lead all of you to where Elder is going."

Stevonnie started to say something, but was cut off by Sarah's sniffle. "But it's dangerous for us in the Guardian's land…"

"Garnet will protect you. She's really good at that." Stevonnie forced a light chuckle. "She took care of me when I was little."

Sarah gaped in wonderment, looking at Stevonnie before looking up at Garnet. She gulped and then nodded. "Okay, Elder. But… You have to promise to be there when we come to find you."

"Okay," Stevonnie said. "I think I can manage that." They stood back up, still resting one hand on the top of Sarah's head, before looking over at Garnet, who nodded at them. "I guess we should get moving."

"We should," Garnet said, though her gaze lingered on Stevonnie. The corners of her mouth twitched, as if she wanted to speak, wasn't sure if she should.

"Garnet? Are you okay?" they asked.

"Yes," Garnet answered, sounding less than okay. She huffed, before continuing, "It's just… I haven't done a good job of saying it, but… This was almost completely unexpected." She looked away into the distance, over in the direction of the clearing. "But despite that, I am glad you're here, Stevonnie." She looked back and now a small, but genuine smile rested on her lips.

Stevonnie smiled back. "Yeah. I'm… I'm glad you guys are here too. And when things settle down… I'll have some stories to tell."

"I look forward to them." A pause, before Garnet added in a much softer tone, "Be careful. We just reunited."

Stevonnie laughed lightly. "Don't worry, Garnet. I'll be fine. It's you who should be worried. Tony can be a bit stubborn sometimes."

"I'll keep that in mind," Garnet nodded, before looking down at Sarah, who had now moved beside her. "Lead the way."

"Okay, follow me." Sarah gave Stevonnie one last look before she set down the path, Garnet following after her.

Stevonnie stood where they were for a moment, watching them until the ground shook again with another explosion. They hurriedly turned and dashed through the door; out of the Zoo and into the rest of the station.

* * *

They ran down the corridor, the cold air whipping past their ears and bare shoulders. They'd forgotten how much cooler the rest of the station was compared to the Zoo proper. Made sense. Temperature didn't really matter all that much to Gem, but it certainly did to Stevonnie whenever they ventured outside the Zoo.

They wished they had a jacket. And maybe shoes.

They made a hard left at a fork in the hall. While they had never been to the docking bay's control room, they knew, at least roughly. 8XJ had always been sure to point out different locations and sights on the station whenever she had escorted Stevonnie on any number of 'errands' they had run over the years. Whether it was retrieving "artifacts" from any number of the station's storerooms, to going to the nursery because one of the children broke something, or even to the Quartz's quarters because one of the Gems broke something.

Another explosion, another tremor through the ground. But this time louder and rougher, almost sending Stevonnie off of their feet. Whatever was going on, it was intensifying. They groaned as they took another turn and forced their legs to move just a little faster.

Stevonnie hated being caught this ill-prepared. The Zoo's humans, the people they had charged themselves with protecting, were most likely terrified over what was going on right now. Even with giving Garnet their sword, they knew there were still going to be questions and uncertainties. They only hoped that, in the end, everyone did follow Garnet. For their sake, as well as Stevonnie's.

Another turn and they came to the final, short hallway, at the end of which was a door. Not stopping, barely slowing down, Stevonnie reached over and slammed their hand against the control pad. They hurriedly drew their finger in the needed pattern and the door smoothly slid open.

The room was fairly simple. A standard utilitarian designed console interface and a large clear window overlooking the docking bay. They tapped the console screen, letting it begin to connect and boot up as they stepped over to the window and looked down at the docking bay below.

The bay was normally empty, only a few noble ships now and then carrying bored upper crust Gems who wanted to gawk at the "simple" lifeforms. (And occasionally Blue Diamond's personal ship, though Stevonnie always made sure to stay out of sight whenever she was visiting.)

But now, while there was no ship, at least not that Stevonnie could see. But they could see two beings, fighting below. One was tall and lithe, her light colored hair done in a tight braid and her four arms all working in precise order to summon, notch, and fire arrows at her opponent.

Stevonnie could feel their heart skip a beat. "Opal," they gasped out loud.

Whoever they were fighting was less familiar, even if Stevonnie recognized what they were. A large, hulking beast of a corrupted Gem, all teeth and hair, was using its powerful legs to charge at Opal. But the docking bay was fairly small and enclosed, limiting the places Opal could dodge to. Combine that with the fact that her weapon of choice needed some range to really be used effectively meant that she was at a severe disadvantage.

How had a corrupted Gem even gotten onto the Zoo-ship in the first place?

Stevonnie pushed the question aside. Gritting their teeth, Stevonnie returned to the now fully lit up console. However, they weren't sure how to disengage the energy field that covered the only door leading to the bay, so they began doing what the same thing they always did when they were unsure about some Homeworld tech:

Press buttons and hope for the best.

For a while, it seemed to be doing nothing, besides turning labeled lights on the display on and off. They glanced out the window, seeing Opal barely dodge out of the way of swipe from the corrupted Gems claws, and they growled with frustration and pounded against the input. Luckily though, their burst of anger seemed to be the exact ticket needed. The energy field in front of the door flickered, before disappearing completely.

Stevonnie grinned at their success, but that satisfaction was short-lived. The monster lunged at Opal, and she wasn't able to dodge out of the way quick enough. It pinned her against the wall. She lost grip of her bow, which clattered to the floor and disappeared in a flash of sparkles.

"Ah, dammit!" Stevonnie cried. Their heart hammered in their chest as they quickly began to mentally list all their options.

There weren't many.

Deciding their plan of action, Stevonnie raised their arm and clenched their hand into a tight fist. The feeling of their gem releasing a burst of energy, a feeling they had nearly forgotten, surged from their navel, up their torso, and through their arm. In a second, their circular pink shield was on their arm and in another they were banging it against the window with all their strength.

The first hit did nothing, the second caused a few minor cracks, the third caused them to spiderweb across the glass, and the fourth finally caused it to break completely.

Without bothering to clear away some sharp shards that still stuck to the pane, Stevonnie gracefully leapt out of the control room and mentally focused to slow their descent. It worked perfectly and they landed like a feather in one beat and in the second was rushing the monster.

They leapt again, this time on the creatures back. The corrupted Gem seemed to not expect this move, for as soon as Stevonnie was securely on its back, it let go of Opal and put all of its energy into dislodging the new nuisance. In response, Stevonnie wrapped their arms around its neck and pulled, forcing the monster to reel back as it tried to throw them off.

"Opal! Shoot it!"

The Gem fusion was out of sight, but she must have heard Stevonnie's call, as a few seconds later everything was engulfed in light. Suddenly they were falling, landing on the metal floor with a dull thud and the monster's gem lying inert besides them. Without really considering, Stevonnie grabbed the gem and bubbled it, followed by giving it a light tap, sending it away.

They slowly got to their feet, wincing as at the pain that shot through their leg. They must have cut themselves jumping out of the control room. Stevonnie licked their finger and ran it lightly across the cut, feeling the pain almost instantly disappear.

Before Stevonnie could turn around, they heard light, but noticeable footsteps coming up from behind them. "It- Stevonnie…?" They spun and found the fusion standing before them, all four of her arms slack at her side and her eyes wide in amazement. Her mouth twitched little, but no words came out.

Stevonnie put on the best easy smile they could. "Hey, Opal. Been awhile, huh?"

But before Opal could try to respond, she began to glow with a bright light, before splitting into two, smaller but much more familiar beings.

Pearl and Amethyst were both on top of her them before anything else could be said. They grabbed Stevonnie in a dual embrace, both crying and laughing and talking as best they could.

"You are here!"

"G, was right! She did feel ya!"

"I can't believe that-"

"You're really here, dude. It's been…"

Stevonnie said nothing, only letting their tightening embrace of the two of them serve as their response. They both quieted after a moment, just resting their heads on them, the three of them completely content for a second in time.

Until another explosion caused the ground to shake beneath them again.

Brought back to the present, the three of them let go of one another, though they remained close, Amethyst even still resting a hand against their leg.

A beat of silence passed between them before Stevonnie spoke, "Hey, guys," they said lightly. "Long time no see, huh?"

Amethyst smirked up at them. "Ya already said that, dude."

"True," they chuckled. "Still. It has been."

"It has," Pearl said. "I-" She shook her head and began again, "When Garnet said that she felt you here when she reached out, I… wasn't sure if she was right." Pearl snapped her eyes shut and looked away. "But now… you are here and…"

"Hey, it's alright," Stevonnie said gently. "I- I get it. It's been two centuries I think. If I was in your place, I wouldn't have thought I was here either."

"But we shouldn't have lost hope!" Pearl shot back, the corners of her eyes glistening. "For so long after Steven and the others were taken we tried so many ways to try and rescue you, but… time passed and…"

"Ah, Pearl," Amethyst said, her own voice wavering as she spoke. "Don't need to be getting all weepy eyed now. We can save the crying for back on Earth."

Pearl sniffed. "Of course." She paused a moment, before continuing, "I take it you were the one who disabled the energy field, Stevonnie?"

They nodded. "Garnet got me in the Zoo and filled me in. Or, at least gave me a general idea." They looked around the mostly empty docking bay. "Though I do have a couple questions now, if you'll indulge me."

"Shoot, dude."

"How did you all get here? I don't see a ship."

"Some Homeworld rebels stole one and came to Earth," Amethyst answered. "We used it to get here."

"And… where is it now?"

"Peridot flew away from the station," Pearl said. "We didn't know what kind of reinforcements would be coming and we didn't want to risk the ship getting damaged and stranding us here."

"We got Peri on radio, though." Amethyst moved some of her hair out of the way, revealing an earpiece in her ear. "When we're ready to bail, I'll give her a call and she'll come by."

"Okay," Stevonnie said. "Second, where are the stations Quartzes? 8XJ, and the Amethysts and everyone?"

"They've already been moved off the station," Pearl answered.

"They didn't want to stay and fight?"

"It doesn't have to do with 'want'," Pearl said. "Homeworld, as well as many of the core colonies, are in a state of… controlled chaos. And unfortunately, the number of Quartzes on the Rebellion's side is very… limited."

"A lot of the rebels are like, Pearls and Morganites and stuff," Amethyst added. "Not really built for fighting."

"Or trained for fighting," Pearl continued. "So getting the Quartzes safely off the station was our… main goal."

Stevonnie felt their throat tighten a little and their brow drop. "And what about the humans in the Zoo?"

"Even if you weren't among them, Stevonnie, we were still going to rescue them," Pearl quickly assured. "That is why Garnet split off from us. To retrieve them."

"But you didn't want any of the Quartzes going with her," Stevonnie shot back. "Because they were too valuable."

"Hey, dude. Come on. You know-"

However, Pearl simply raised a hand, cutting Amethyst off. "Stevonnie, you have to understand, it's not just our choice anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"It means we're not in charge of this Rebellion," she said, the barest of edges entering her voice. "And the leader of the Rebellion is… well, she's cold. Very cold. And she put more value on soldiers then on the humans."

"And you didn't try to tell her otherwise?" Stevonnie asked.

"Of course," Pearl answered flatly. "But it's their ship. If we pushed too much, the rebel leader would just send her own soldiers. And… it would be up in the air if they would bother with the humans at all."

Stevonnie grimaced and pursed their lips, but otherwise made no response.

"Yeah, dude. The six of us have already been butting heads with this new Rebellion already over a lot of stuff," Amethyst said. "Honestly, a few times I've wanted to-" She smacked her fist into her open hand with a solid 'thwack'.

"But they're still doing important work," Pearl added. "Even if we're still at odds with each other at times."

"Yeah, well. I'll reserve judgment until I meet them myself," Stevonnie said.

Another explosion rocked the station and Stevonnie was about to ask what exactly was exploding, when they heard the docking bay open, follow by several joyful exclamations all spoken at the same time,

"Elder !"

Stevonnie turned and saw a hoard rushing at them; the entire population of the Zoo. Everyone crowded around them, each speaking at the same time, making it impossible for Stevonnie to discern any of what was said.

They raised the hands, speaking loudly but calmly, "Everyone, please. I can't listen to all of you at once." The humans quickly quieted down.

"Wow. I didn't know it was that easy," Garnet said, taking a spot next to Pearl and Amethyst, who had been pushed away by the crowd.

"Trust me, it's usually not," Stevonnie replied, before addressing the many faces before them. "Okay, is everyone alright?"

"Yes, Elder," Ex-Nine answered. "Garnet was able to lead us through the Guardians' Lands."

"That's good." They looked over at Garnet, all the human's following their gaze. "No problems?"

Garnet shook her head. "Once Sarah showed them your sword, they all decided to come."

"Elder! Elder!" A small, but determined voice called out from the crowd. There was jostling, people moving aside before Sarah finally emerged, Stevonnie's large sword clasped in their arms. "Elder," she said again. "Here. Your sword." Her arms shaking just a little from the sword's weight, Sarah held out the blade, which Stevonnie took easily into their own grasp.

"Ah, thank you, Sarah," Stevonnie said, feeling the familiar weight in their hand, even if it felt like their muscles tensed and pulled more than they did, once upon a time. They smiled fondly at Sarah. "You took good care of my sword, little one," they said. "Garnet made a good choice letting you carry it."

"I figured it would be best if one of their own rallied them," Garnet said. "Sarah did a very good job doing that."

"It is true," Jay-Fourteen interjected. "Little Sarah held the sword above her and we all knew you had sent these new guardians."

"Only those chosen by Elder can wield their sword!" Amy added. Their was a wave murmured agreement.

Stevonnie chuckled, "Well, regardless, I'm glad-"

A near deafening explosion rocked the ground beneath them, sending almost everyone off their feet. There were cries of panic and worry and fear as the ringing in Stevonnie's ears began to subside.

"Elder! What is happening?" Gee-Eleven asked, his eyes wide with panic. "These loud noises and the ground is shaking!"

"I am frightened, Elder..." Be-Three said softly.

"Amethyst." Pearl's voice cut through the muffled sound of all the humans speaking at the same time. "Call Peridot and have her come back around."

"Gotcha, P." Amethyst dug her hand into her thick mane of hair. A moment passed before she said, "Yo, Dot!… Yeah, we got the humans." Her gaze drifted to Stevonnie and a knowing smirk appeared on her lips. "And someone a little extra… You'll just have to wait 'till we all board. Now get your perky butt over here. We're hopping out of here." Her smirk grew wider as she removed her hand from her earpiece. Amethyst looked over at Stevonnie. "She hates it when I call her butt perky."

Stevonnie's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Doubly so when she heard Sarah ask, "What's perky mean?"

Everything shook again, though nowhere near as rough as previously. Stevonnie spared a look at the humans, huddled closely around each other and all clearly frightened, before they turned to look at the Gems. "What's causing everything to shake? Is the station under attack?"

A new voice cut through the chaos: "The station's piecemeal self-destruct sequence. To ensure you rebels don't get away with a dangerous specimen."

Everyone in the bay turned to face the newest speaker… and Stevonnie felt a chill spread throughout their body.

It was Holly Blue Agate, her whip already in hand and another monstrous corrupted Gem trailing behind her, like a trained dog.

Her gaze was intense and pointed, slowly moving over all of them before settling heavily on Stevonnie. "I knew," she sneered as she walked the steps into the dock proper, her whip crackling against the ground, "that you would eventually be trouble. And I knew those traitorous Earth-made Amethysts were lying to me when they said they weren't helping you."

Stevonnie stepped in front of the humans, summoning their shield to their arm. They saw a flash out of the corner of their eye and the Gems rushed next to them, all now armed as well. Stevonnie felt a tight sensation in their chest.

This was the first time in literal centuries that they had stood next to the Gems, ready to defend themselves.

The disgusted look on Holly Blue's face indicated that she felt something very different. "What you've done here is pointless. Even if you escape the station, even if you take Homeworld! , the Gem Empire will not fall."

"You're one to talk about escaping the station," Stevonnie replied easily. "I don't see any ships here to take you away."

Holly Blue rolled her eyes, as if what Stevonnie had said was the single most idiotic thing she had ever heard. "Please. My Diamond has seen that I am protected." She raised her hand and on her wrist was a shiny metallic band.

"Ah, crud. Not more of those rings," Amethyst said in an exasperated tone.

Before Stevonnie could ask any follow up questions, Holly Blue cracked her whip against the floor. The corrupted Gem's head perked up and Holly Blue pointed, almost nonchalantly, at the Gems. The monster reared back on its hind legs and pounced at the Gems, causing them to break their formation and scatter.

Stevonnie turned, intending to help, but before they could, they felt something wrap tightly around their neck. They tugged at it once, unsure at first what it was, before a powerful electric shock coursed through body. Every inch of them cried out in pain as the shock intensified and their legs gave out beneath them.

The electric shock lessened, but didn't go away, still causing them to writhe in pain. They heard several of the humans crying out their title in fear and confusion. Stevonnie tried to tell them to stay back, but they could barely get any air in their lungs.

They felt a sharp heeled boot press painfully into their stomach.

"You abomination of a hybrid. Taking a Gem and dirtying it by tying it to that… fleshy body." Holly Blue's whip tightened around their neck, choking out what breath was left in them. "My Diamond was too kind for her own good. It seems I will need to correct that."

Stevonnie forced their eyes open and saw Holly Blue looming over them, her expression filled with hate and scorn. She bore her teeth as she raised her whip, intending to choke out what life remained in Stevonnie…

"Leave Elder alone!"

A human, Stevonnie wasn't sure who, rushed into view and threw themselves against Holly Blue. The attack had limited effect, but then someone else did it. And someone else. And someone else. Until finally it was too much even for her and she dropped her whip. It hit the floor and Stevonnie instantly felt their ability to breath return to them, as they coughed at taking in too much air all at once.

"Elder, are you okay?" It was Tony, kneeling down next to them, her hand resting on Stevonnie's arm. They tried to respond, but no words came out, only hacking coughs. Tony leaned in closer, "Elder! Can you not speak?!"

Before Stevonnie could try and speak again, they felt a strong wind push over themselves. They craned their head around as best they could and saw Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet, each supporting the bubble that held the monsters Gem. Garnet tapped it and it blinked away.

"You-… Cracked pieces of shale!" Holly Blue sputtered. As she spoke, more humans crowded around, blocking her from Stevonnie's view with a physical wall of bodies. Stevonnie heard the Gems running up now, followed by Holly Blue running as far away as she could. "Fine!" she shot at them. "I will see to it myself that your rebellion crumbles!"

There was a flash from the other side of the humans, followed by Sarah exclaiming, "She is gone!"

"Yeah, it's those stupid bracelets," Amethyst moaned.

"Teleporters," Pearl muttered, as she picked herself up.

The humans started to part, as the Gems came into view. Garnet knelt down beside them. "Are you okay Stevonnie?"

Stevonnie opened their mouth to talk, but only gurgling noises came out.

"Elder needs help!" Jay-Fourteen cried out.

"Yeah, and they're gonna get it. Our ride's here." Amethyst pointed airlock and Stevonnie could indeed see a ship docking with it.

Another distant explosion, followed by more rumbling. But now, the rumbling did not subside. The station wouldn't hold together much longer.

Stevonnie tried to get up, but their arm slipped from underneath them, causing them to fall. There were gasps from all the gathered humans, but without even asking Garnet scooped Stevonnie into her arms, holding them close.

It was then that events began to be difficult for Stevonnie to follow. They were feeling just a little light-headed and the sound around them kept dropping in and out. What they could make out were the Gems talking to each other, and the humans trying to talk to them, but… it was too unclear.

Their eyes opened and they were still slung in Garnet's arms. They could see some of the humans and beyond them was a large viewing window. And, as a speck in the distance, Stevonnie could see the station it's bright pink coloring sticking out against the darkness of space.

Until, in a flash, it was gone.

A silent explosion engulfed it and then disappeared, leaving nothing but floating space debris.

Stevonnie heard yells and wailing and crying. They wanted to say something, comfort everyone, but already they feel themselves slipping away again, into the darkness of unconsciousness.

After what felt like a few minutes, but must have been longer, Stevonnie opened their eyes. Everything was blurry, but soon came into focus. Everyone, or at least all the humans, were huddled around them.

"Elder!" It was Sarah who ran over to them. "Are you alright?"

"I've- I've been better," Stevonnie admitted. They were sitting against a wall and, as they began to take in more of their surroundings, realized they must be in the ship. It resembled the Zoo station, though instead of pinks and blues, everything was just shades of green.

"You can talk again," Robert said, letting go of a held breath. "That is good."

"Yes," Stevonnie said, pushing themselves up where they sat. "I think I'll be making a full recovery." They looked around and confirmed that it was just them and the humans. "Where are the Gems?"

"They had to go 're-port'," Be-Eleven answered. "They said we should stay here and wait for you to wake up."

Stevonnie smiled softly. "Probably a good idea. Thank you for staying." They coughed heavily, causing everyone to jump. Stevonnie raised a hand as their coughing died down. "It's okay. Still just… recovering… Guess I don't quite have the wallop I used to." They shook their head. "But all of you. What you did, to protect me, was very brave. You fought to protect our community. You should all be proud."

Smiles and murmurs and nodding of heads were had across the humans. They all seemed to look proud.

Another silent pause, and then Sarah asked softly, "Are we really going to Earthland, Elder?"

Stevonnie smiled softly, sadly at her. "We are."

"And… when can we return to Our Land?" Tony asked.

"We can't," Stevonnie answered. "Our Land is gone."

More silence, and then Sarah asked, "But… You'll be with us, right Elder?"

"I will," they said firmly. "Just as I have for each one of your lives."

More silence, this time longer and heavier. But finally, Sarah crawled over to Stevonnie and laid against them, her warmth feeling good against the cool air of the ship. "I love you, Elder," she said, muffled against their side.

Soon more were say that they loved Elder and huddling even closer, hugging on Elder and then on to each other when there was no more room.

Stevonnie could begin to feel the sting of tears in their eyes. "All of you," they said, their voice wavering just a little. "Being brought to you all wasn't my choice, but… I don't regret it. I'm… glad I was a good Elder to you."

No one said anything. Stevonnie could hear the sound of whimpering, of repressed sobs and crying, could feel some of them shaking and hug even tighter.

"Stevonnie!" The sound of their own name made them jump in their seat. It took them a minute to realize who was talking over the intercom, but it became fairly clear who it was after a moment. "If you can hear the sound of my voice- Amethyst! Please, do not call any part of me perky!… or at least wait until we are back at the barn."

Stevonnie stifled a laugh as they and everyone else rose to their feat.

"Anyway, yes. Stevonnie. Please come to the cockpit. Earth is within sight and… I would like to see you please." The last part was spoken extremely quickly and followed by a clicking sound, indicating that the call was done.

"Well, this is all very exciting," Stevonnie said matter of factly. "Still..." They tapped their chin. "Who wants to see their first glimpse of Earthland?"

Everyone spoke all at once, saying some variation of 'I do'.

Stevonnie laughed, quieting them with a raised hand. "Okay, okay. Come one." They headed towards the door, Sarah running quickly to get right beside them and everyone else following behind. They pressed the door's control pad and the door quickly slid open, revealing an empty hallway.

And moving together, Elder and their community, their people , made their way to the front of the ship in order to gaze at their wonderful, exciting new home.


	3. Epilogue

Stevonnie continued up the hill, the lighthouse looming tall in front of them. And turned and saw Garnet was just behind them. "At the top of the hill?"

"Yes," Garnet answered evenly. "On the other side of the lighthouse."

Stevonnie nodded and put on an extra burst of speed, soon reaching top of the hill's crest and now looking over the cliffside. The beach and Temple were below them, Stevonnie noting that that washing machine and dryer were still sitting on the Temple's outstretched hand.

They felt a gentle hand on their shoulder and turned, seeing Garnet next to them. Wordlessly, she guided Stevonnie from the cliffside over to what first looked like a random bush. But as Stevonnie focused on it for a moment, they saw that it was actually _rose_ bush.

"You guys planted this?"

Garnet nodded. "It seemed an appropriate gesture."

Stevonnie was silent, moving closer to the rose bush and wanting to get a sniff of one of the many roses that were in full bloom… when they noticed what had been slightly obscured by the bush. Their throat tightened and mouth instantly grew dry as they stopped in their tracks, stunned by the object they had come all the way up to see.

It was a simple, stone marker. It had almost no ornation save for the engraving in the center.

 _Greg Universe_

 _A man so incredible, he touched lives_

 _in ways unimaginable_

Stevonnie thought they had prepared themselves. This _is_ why they had come up here but… seeing it now, right before their eyes…

They felt their knees quiver and shake before finally giving out, dropping them to their knees. They opened their mouth to speak, but no sound came out, short of a soft gasp. Their vision began to blur as they felt the warm trickle of tears down their cheeks. They rubbed their eyes, but that did little to help.

"He moved into the Temple with us, in his later years." Garnet's voice gentle and easy, contrasting to the raging torrent of emotions Stevonnie felt. "And one day, Pearl went to wake him up with breakfast, as she usually did and… he was gone."

"Oh," Stevonnie almost choked on their single word. Their shoulders began to quake and the deep, _painful_ sobs they had been trying to hold end began to pour out of them. They closed their eyes, not wanting to look at the gravestone anymore. They felt their balance wobble and then felt themselves being steadied by a pair of strong arms wrapping tightly around them.

"He never knew-" Stevonnie gasped. "He never knew I was still alive…"

"He never gave up hope," Garnet said, her voice firm but just a little strained. "He always _believed_ you were safe somewhere. And he was right."

Stevonnie was silent for a long while, letting themselves rest in Garnet's arms. The cool sensation of her body felt good against the burning sadness that was inside them.

"And- and Mom and- The Maheswarans-" It was hard for Stevonnie to get any words out. Every syllable felt like it was choking them.

"They both passed from age," Garnet answered the unspoken question. "Mr. Maheswaran first, and then Dr. Maheswaran."

"Of course," Stevonnie laughed bitterly. "Of course Mom would be so stubborn as to hang on for last…" They grew quiet, eventually their shoulders slumping to their side the harsh sobs began to die away. "Where… where are they?"

"They were cremated. At a Hindu temple near Ocean Town."

Stevonnie nodded, their head still pressed against Garnet's chest. They knew that neither of the Maheswarans had been particularly religious. But they had always said that they were going to be cremated at a temple, just like their parents and grandparents had done.

"I want to visit to the temple," Stevonnie said.

"Of course."

"But… not now." Stevonnie slowly rose to their feet, taking a moment to get their balance. They took one last look at the tombstone and the rose bush, before turning away from them. "For now… I just want to be alone."

Garnet got back to her feet, and nodded slowly. "If you need anything, or need to talk-"

"I know, Garnet," Stevonnie cut in. "But right now, I just need to do something."

* * *

Stevonnie walked around the beach house. It looked… almost a little unnerving. It still looked so much like they remembered. Though, they weren't sure how trustworthy their memories were after all this time… But besides, that wasn't the point right now. Instead, Stevonnie closed their eyes, took a deep breath in, and focused.

They heard the screen door open then shut. Footsteps, and then his voice.

"There ya are, Schtooball. Been looking all over for you."

Stevonnie opened their eyes and he stood there, smiling brightly as if nothing was wrong.

"Dad…" Stevonnie choked out, taking an unsteady step forward.

"Whoa, easy there, bud," Dad said. "Don't need ya taking a fall."

Stevonnie was about to speak again, when two figures moved to join Dad.

"There you are, Connie," Mom said, her expression a familiar mix of agitation and deep concern. "Your father and I have been looking all over for you."

"It's a school night, Connie," Dad added, raising an eyebrow. "And it's time to come home."

"Right," Stevonnie said. "I am I just…" They looked down at their bare feet and clenched their fists. They had to say it. This was their chance. But…

Seeing them again, even here, it was _overwhelming_. It robbed Stevonnie of everything they wanted to say; robbed them even of the ability to say it.

They shut their eyes and could feel the sting of tears, when they also felt arms grabbing hold of them.

"It's alright, Stevonnie," Mom said gently to them.

"Yeah," Dad added. "You're safe, here at the Temple with the Gems."

"I know, _I know_ ," Stevonnie gasped. "But I… I love you. And I _miss_ you…"

"We're not going anywhere, dear," Dad said. "We're your parents. We'll always be here."

Stevonnie said nothing else, only letting their parents hold them, until finally the floor beneath them, the room around them, and finally their parents themselves disappeared into pink clouds, leaving Stevonnie alone in the room.

* * *

 **AN:** _Okay,_ this _is the final part of this story. Sorry to leave it in on a bit of hanging note, but I just don't really see me adding anything else to this story. Maybe, maybe at some point I'll do a sequel story looking at the Zoomans adjustments to Earth or the New Rebellion, but if I do, don't expect that anywhere in the near future._

 _Anyway, thanks for the read and I hope you enjoyed._


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